Extracellular Vesicles: Biological Packages That Modulate Tumor Cell Invasion

Abstract

Tumor progression, from early-stage invasion to the formation of distal metastases, relies on the capacity of tumor cells to modify the extracellular matrix (ECM) and communicate with the surrounding stroma. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) provide an important means to regulate cell invasion due to the selective inclusion of cargoes such as proteases and matrix proteins into EVs that can degrade or modify the ECM. EVs have also been shown to facilitate intercellular communication in the tumor microenvironment through paracrine signaling, which can impact ECM invasion by cancer cells. Here, we describe the current knowledge of EVs as facilitators of tumor invasion by virtue of their effects on proteolytic degradation and modification of the ECM, their ability to educate the stromal cells in the tumor microenvironment, and their role as mediators of long-range communication aiding in cell invasion and matrix remodeling at secondary sites.

Precision Oncology: Circulating Microvesicles as New Biomarkers in a Very Early Stage of Colorectal Cancer

“…MVs can be easily obtained by liquid biopsies, namely blood samples, and provide more information about tumor characteristics, prognosis, metastatic potential and targetable pathways for treatment than a solid biopsy [13][14][15]. In addition, they can provide tumor-specific details such as the status of mutations, gene amplifications, and the transcriptome [16][17][18]. Moreover, advancements in isolation and characterization techniques, such as flow cytometry, nanoparticle tracking analysis, and mass spectrometry, have enhanced our ability to accurately detect and analyze microvesicles, further facilitating their clinical translation [19].…”